A SIMPLE POPE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 77, 2 April 1910, Page 10

A SIMPLE POPE.

The Pope, as ovorybody knows, is oxtremoly averse from empty etiquette and all unnecessary parade. He has cut down a great deal of what to tbo modorn view is useless ceremonial (writes "A Continental Rover" in tho Sunday Chronicle). A lady who had an audionco 'recently with his Holiness, tolls mo that sho was so astonished at his extreme simplicity that sho forgot hor curtsey. Tho contrast, sho says, between tho Popo's splendid apartments in tho Vatican and his own lack of pomposity and prido is oxtrnordinary. Whon sho was crazing at tho gildod splendours of tho {miaou, Ibo Pono himself entered, almost running, in a boy's eagoruoss to greet tho visitor. Sho had expected a slow and maiestio walk in keeping with the magnificenco of tho placo, hut tho successor of St. Poter evidently wears a very human heurt boncath his gorgeous vestments. In porson, • ho is small and ruddyfaced; but his f natures aro firm and handsome. Ho is net at all tho nonentity that some would have us believe in the oounoils of th<» Vatioan ; on the contrary, ho poHeyes a firm will and carries out his uleus in spito of tho interested atlvico of Cardinals and others. Th« Holy Fathor cares nothing for money; his mind is not sot on earthly treasures; ho is certainly apostolic in that sonso. Therefore ho regards with Christian equanimity tho low of revenuo which has resulted from tho disestablinhmont of tho Church in France. "It is good for the Church to be persecuted," no says; "the blood of martyrs is tho •oed of the Church." And so he roioices when the Republican and Anti-olcrioal parties in Franco §ive another turn to tho screw which rove out the monks and nuns from thoir establishments, deprived tho olergy of their Government stipends, broke up tho clerical schools, and whiob are doing thoir utmost to root out church influonco in France. "Lot them suffer, let them suffer I" exclnims tho Holy Father; "tho Church will riso glorified and sanctified thorefrom. That is his principle, and ho slick* to it with might and main, irrespective of tho material results.